Alger County
County
Lake Superior from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 47°10′N 86°29′W / 47.16°N 86.48°W / 47.16; -86.48
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	March 17, 1885[1]
Named for	Russell A. Alger
Seat	Munising
Largest city	Munising
Area
• Total	5,048 sq mi (13,070 km2)
• Land	915 sq mi (2,370 km2)
• Water	4,133 sq mi (10,700 km2)  82%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,842
• Density	10/sq mi (4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	https://www.algercounty.gov/

Alger County (/ˌældʒər/ AL-jər) is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 8,842.^[2] It is the state's second-largest county by area, including the waters of Lake Superior. The county seat is Munising.^[3]

Alger County is home to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which features rock formations, waterfalls, and sand dunes along the shore of Lake Superior. Much of the county is also part of the Hiawatha National Forest.

History

Alger County was detached from Schoolcraft County, set off and organized in 1885. The county was named for lumber baron Russell Alexander Alger, who was elected as a Michigan Governor, and US Senator, and appointed as US Secretary of War during the William McKinley Presidential administration.^[1] See also, List of Michigan county name etymologies, List of Michigan counties, and List of abolished U.S. counties.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,048 square miles (13,070 km²), of which 915 square miles (2,370 km²) is land and 4,133 square miles (10,700 km²) (82%) is water.^[4] It is the second-largest county in Michigan by total area, mainly because of Lake Superior on the north side of the county.

Highways

Adjacent counties

By land

• Luce County – east
• Schoolcraft County – southeast
• Delta County – south
• Marquette County – west

By water

• Thunder Bay District, Ontario – north

National protected areas

• Grand Island National Recreation Area
• Hiawatha National Forest (part)
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Demographics

The 2010 United States census indicates Alger County had a population of 9,601.^[9] The racial makeup of the county was 86.3% White, 6.4% Black or African American, 4.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% of some other race and 2.7% of two or more races; of them 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Regarding specific ethnicities, 15.7% of the population was of German heritage, 13.5% Finnish, 12.6% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 9.3% English, 7.3% Polish, 6.9% Irish and 5.3% American ancestry.^[10] In 2020, the county had a population of 8,842.^[2]

In 2010, there were 3,898 households, out of which 20.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.74. In the county, the population was spread out, with 17.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.3 years. The population was 54.4% male and 45.6% female.

In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $38,231, and the median income for a family was $46,154. The per capita income for the county was $19,858. About 9.3% of people in families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. The 2021 census estimates showed the county had a median household income of $48,822.^[2]

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Politics

Alger County was reliably Republican from the beginning through 1928. Since then it has voted for the Democratic nominee 65% (15 of 23) of the time.

Communities

City

• Munising (county seat)

Village

• Chatham

Civil townships

Census-designated place

• Grand Marais

Unincorporated communities

Indian reservations

• Alger County contains two very small portions of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians tribal community, which is headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie in Chippewa County. One portion is in the northeastern corner of Au Train Township, and another slightly larger portion is about two miles south of Munising in Munising Township.^[12]